JEDDAH: Saudi clubs Al-Shabab and Al-Ittifaq scored emphatic victories during their second leg matches against UAE rivals Al-Sharjah and Al-Shabab yesterday in the AFC Champions League.
Shabab rounded off another big day for the Saudis in Asia’s top club competition with a 5-0 shellacking of Sharjah in a Group B match at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
Earlier, striker Prince Tagoe scored a hat trick of goals in Ittifaq’s 4-1 triumph over Shabab in Group D.
Prince Tagoe struck for markers in the 30th, 54th, and 84th minutes and Abdul Rahman Al-Qahtani added an injury time goal to complete Ittifaq’s romp over its host.
Shabab’s only goal came from Marcos in the 15th minute. With the win Ittifaq remains top of Group D with 9 points.
Like Ittifaq, Shabab is atop of Group with 10 points. Shabab received a nice gift from Al-Garrafa of Qatar after the Qatari side defeated Piroozi Perspolis of Iran 5-1 in Qatar.
The result froze Piroozi in second place with seven points left a three points gap on Shabab. Al-Garrafa of Qatar is third in the group with six points.
Meantime, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad take on separate rivals in two of eight matches taking place today in the AFC Champions League. At the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Ittihad hosts Al-Jazirah of UAE in a Group C match. Ittihad is on top of the group with seven points from two wins and one draw, Umm Salal of Qatar is second with six points, Al-Jazirah third with two points and last is Esteghlal Tehran of Iran with one point. The game is important for the Saudi Professional League champion which is looking to cross into the next round.
Ittihad needs the three points especially since Umm Slaal, just a point adrift, is expected to win against bottom team Esteghlal in their match in Iran.
Hilal battles Ahli of UAE in UAE in Group A. Pakhtakor Tashkent of Uzbekistan is on top of the group with seven points, Hilal is second with five points, Saba Batry of Iran third with two points and Ahli last with one point.
For Hilal, the game three points are crucial to stay in competition, any result other than victory would put Hilal in difficult position of the group.
The game will be difficult for Hilal since the team is playing the second leg match outside its territory but is keen about the other mach between Pakhtakor and Saba Batry in Uzbekistan. Hilal will try hard to keep the two points gap on the Uzbekistani team and at the same time will hope that Saba Batry defeat the Uzbekistani team in its home ground.
